Air Fryer Panko Chicken

Air fryer panko chicken breasts are so easy to make! These breaded chicken cutlets get perfectly crispy in the air fryer. They are quick enough to make for an easy weeknight dinner.

I love air fried panko chicken breasts. They are just so crispy and crunchy, but the inside stays juicy. The chicken breasts gets breaded in panko bread crumbs for a tasty and easy dish that can be used in so many ways.

This panko chicken is an easy way to use boneless skinless chicken breasts to make a dish the whole family will love. It uses less oil than pan-frying, but still gets so crispy when cooked in the air fryer.

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (you'll slice this in half to create 2 thin cutlets)
• Garlic powder
• Egg
• Dijon mustard
• Water
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Cooking spray
• Salt and pepper

What are chicken cutlets?

Chicken cutlets are boneless skinless chicken breasts that are cut thin or pounded until thin (or both). They are usually then breaded (with breadcrumbs or panko) and pan fried, but in our version we crisp them up in the air fryer.

If you love crispy air fried chicken cutlets, you might also love this air fryer chicken fried steak.

Why make this recipe:

• Easy to make - The air fryer panko chicken cutlets are easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner.
• Easy cleanup - Because the chicken is made in an air fryer, the cleanup is easy!
• Healthy - making air fryer chicken cutlets uses less oil than cooking on the stove, but they are still super crispy!
• Delicious and family-friendly - My family loves crispy, crunchy food, and these chicken cutlets get so delicious in the air fryer.
• Versatile - The chicken can be used in so many ways! Paired with your favorite side dishes, in salads, or pastas. They can also be paired with a variety of sauces like a red pepper sauce or a lemon caper sauce.

Customization ideas

• Season the chicken with some some cayenne pepper for a bit of heat
• Season the chicken with your favorite dried herbs or spices (oregano, thyme, onion powder, etc.)
• Swap out the panko for breadcrumbs (though I prefer panko for the crunch it gets in the air fryer!)

How to serve

What should you serve with air fryer panko chicken? I love simply serving mine with some lemon slices or wedges and an arugula salad, as shown below, but there are so many other options, like this air fryer broccolini or kumquat salad.

You could slice up the chicken and serve on a salad or on top of this creamy harissa pasta or spaghetti carbonara with cream. You could also serve it on a sandwich!

I also love serving the crispy chicken cutlets with a sauce, like a lemon caper sauce or a roasted red pepper sauce. Both add so much flavor to the crispy chicken.

Recipe tips

• All air fryers cook differently. A meat thermometer is highly recommended to make sure your chicken is cooked properly. Chicken breast should be cooked to 165 degrees F.
• Depending on how thick your chicken breast is, you may need slightly more or less time in the air fryer.
• You can get thinly sliced chicken breasts. If using chicken breasts that are already around ¼ inch thin, you will need 2 instead of 1 chicken breast.
• You do not need to preheat the air fryer for this recipe, unless your air fryer specifically calls for it.

How to make air fryer panko chicken

First, prepare your chicken cutlets. Slice each chicken breast in half so that you have two thin halves. Careful while doing this, and try to keep the chicken as even as possible so that it's the same thickness. If chicken is still on the thick side, pound with a meat mallet until about ¼ inch thick.

Season both sides of the chicken with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Add your egg, water, and dijon mustard to a shallow bowl and whisk together. Add panko to a separate shallow bowl.

Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then flip to make sure that both halves get covered in the egg mixture.

Let any extra mixture drip off, then coat both sides of the chicken breast with the panko.

Repeat with the other chicken breast, then add to a plate or cutting board. Spray both sides of the chicken breast lightly with cooking spray.

Place in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Air fry for 7-9 minutes at 400 degrees F, carefully flipping halfway through cooking.

Once the chicken is golden brown on the outside and cooked to an internal temperature of 165, remove the chicken from the air fryer.

If you have leftovers, let cool, then store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

More air fryer chicken recipes

• Air Fryer Honey Dijon Chicken Breast
• Air Fryer Chili Lime Chicken Breast
• Air Fryer Greek Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Paprika Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Pretzel Chicken

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